Residents in Mundelein have been advised by fire officials to exercise caution when parking next to leaves after a car completely caught fire on Monday night.
A report of a vehicle fire was received by the Mundelein Fire Department on Monday night. When the firefighters arrived, the car was completely engulfed in flames. The leaves around the car were ablaze as well.
Mundelein Fire Department shared a post on Facebook:
Fire officials said that no residents were hurt as firefighters promptly put out the fire. The catalytic converter and exhaust system probably set the leaves underneath the car on fire, which is how the fire started.
According to fire officials, catalytic converters normally operate at temperatures between 750 and 1,150 degrees. This time of year, leaves are piled curbside on most residential streets in preparation for the yearly leaf collection.
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“The potential for situations such as this to occur are prevalent,” fire officials said. For leaf collection, residents are advised not to rake or blow leaves into the street.
It is recommended that homeowners simply rake or blow leaves to the border of their yard, never into the road beyond the curb. It is requested that motorists pay attention to their surroundings when parking on public property, particularly after dark.
“Be sure to avoid parking over any standing piles of leaves and maintain a safe distance,” the fire department said.